ReAgent’s Deionised Water in Record-Breaking Project

As a Product Sponsor of BLOODHOUND SSC, we were recently privileged enough to be able to attend the workshop where BLOODHOUND was being tested and worked on.

During our visit, we learnt a lot about how materials are tested prior to the running of the car. We got to see the actual car being operated on by engineers and we spoke to a rocket scientist about what it’s like to be involved in the BLOODHOUND Project.

We support the BLOODHOUND Project by providing deionised water (DI water) and hydrogen peroxide (HTP). While we were at the workshop, Kim Watt and James Reed spoke to us about how our chemicals are used at BLOODHOUND, and why only the highest quality water is suitable for such a ground-breaking project.

What is our Deionised Water used for?

An IBC of deionised water used for testing of BLOODHOUND SSC

ReAgent’s deionised water is used in the BLOODHOUND factory to test the Jaguar engine that will be used in the car. Fuel cannot be used as it’s so volatile and because deionised water has had minerals removed, it won’t corrode parts of the engine.

The use of deionised water means that the BLOODHOUND team can be sure the system is clean and isn’t being contaminated – only filtered water such as the product we provide can be used within rocket systems of the car.

We also supply hydrogen peroxide, which we were told is used for the passivation and conditioning of materials for the car.

At the workshop, we noticed there were pen markings on our IBC’s of deionised water. This is because the BLOODHOUND team carry out testing and write their results on the IBC’s. The testing is done to determine how much water is being pumped, to record the time each run takes and the number of kilos of water left at the end.

This way, the team can make sure they’re getting the flow rate they’re expecting.

How is BLOODHOUND’s System Tested?

A component of BLOODHOUND’s system. Photo taken at the workshop

The deionised water provided by ReAgent is used to test the performance of BLOODHOUND’s system to ensure they get the right flow rate that will give the performance needed.

To test it, water gets pumped from IBC’s into the rocket fuel tank (this has to be deionised to avoid contamination of the system). That water is then pumped out via the rocket pump into two IBC’s because such a large amount of water is outputted. After each run, the BLOODHOUND team weigh what’s come out and compare it to the numbers on their system. The water is then recirculated.

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Posted by: Amy Hawthorne

After graduating from Lancaster University in 2013, Amy joined ReAgent in early 2014 as a Marketing Assistant. She is responsible for creating regular blogs and managing ReAgent's social media accounts, as well as producing video content as part of our online marketing plan. Read more posts by Amy »